Strip feed mechanism for a platen press

ABSTRACT

A strip of material such as a metalized band is conveyed to an operating station between platens of a platen press by a strip feed mechanism comprising a coil carrier means which supports at least one reel of strip material for unwinding, an unwinding and feed means which may be synchronized with the platens and operable with variable feed lengths or feed speeds to intermittently unroll predetermined amounts of strip material, a guide means to define a path of movement of the unwound strip of material between the platens and in a generally C-shaped path to a tensioning means which applies a continuous tensioning force to the strip material along its path of travel.

United States Patent Lale-Demoz 1 Nov. 6, 1973 [54] STRIP FEED MECHANISMFOR A PLATEN 2,855,997 10/1958 Schultz 226/109 X PRESS 2,363,112 11/19441561111611.... 242 684 3,285,484 ll/l966 Johnson... 226/191 UX Inventor:Roger hie-Demon y, 3,013,708 12/1961 Adams 226 156 Switzerland 73Assignee: J. B0bSl & Fils S.A., Prilly, Primary Examiner-Allen KnowlesSwitzerland AttorneyHill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson [22] Filed:Mar. 23, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl' l27l76 A strip of material suchas a metalized band is conveyed to an operating station between platensof a [30] Foreign Application Priority Data platen press by a strip feedmechanism comprising a Mar. 26, 1970 Switzerland 4673/70 coil carriermeans which pp at least one feel of strip material for unwinding, anunwinding and feed 52 U.S. c1 226/110, 226/157, 226/193, means which ybe Synchronized with the platens and 226/173, 226/195 operable withvariable feed lengths or feed speeds to 51 1111. c1 B65h 17/42intermittently uhroll predetermined amounts of strip 58 Field 61 Search226/156, 157, 110, material, a guide means to define a P of movement 221 9 95 90 193 1 191 1 73 of the unwound strip of material between theplatens and in a generally C-shaped path to a tensioning means 5References Ci d which applies a continuous tensioning force to the stripUNITED STATES PATENTS material along its path of travel.

3,610,499 10/1971 Gallistel 226/157 X 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures STRIPFEED MECHANISM FOR A PLATEN PRESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention generally relates to a reeling and unreeling apparatus incombination with a platen press and more particularly concerns a meansfor conveying a strip of material under tension from a coil, through anoperating station in a platen press and back to a tensioning and pick-upmeans.

In a platen press wherein sheets of material such as cardboard, paper,plastic, etc., are transported by suitable feed means to an operatingstation where they are to be laminated and/or embossed, it is importantto provide a conveying means of a material to be laminated or embossed,such as metal, film or foil, so that the application of the film or foilwill be perfect for both flat and for embossing work so that a maximumuse of the embossing material on the strip work is obtained. Thus, forexample, where the strip material has adhered thereto a metallic foilwhich will be removed upon embossing, it is important that the maximumamount of foil on the strip be used. Since the platens are large andwill emboss a great number of designs in one operation, the length ofstrip material fed for each operation may vary from operation tooperation with the strip material moving just enough to supply a newarea of foil to be applied, but not so much as would result in a highamount of waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to make possible the application of afilm according to the design of a sheet of material being operated on bythe press so that perfect results are obtained under the variousoperating conditions and so that maximum use of the surface area of thestrip material is obtained, 1 have invented a strip feeding andconveying apparatus which comprises the advantageous combination of acoil carrier means that serves to carry at least one reel of stripmaterial, an unwinding and feed means for the material which is operableto intermittently unroll predetermined strip feed lengths, a guide meansto guide the unrolled strip into, through and away from the operatingstation of the apparatus in which it is to be used, and a tensioningmeans to put and keep the strip under tension along its path into,through and away from the operating station. This device providesparticularly advantageous results in a platen press.

According to the invention herein one or a plurality of generallyparallel strips of material may be fed from separate coils between theplatens at separate, variable feed lengths. The unwinding and feed meansfor each strip of material comprise, as set forth in the preferredembodiment herein, at least one driven feed roller having a secondadjustable pressure roller bearing thereagainst and on an opposite sideof the strip so that the strip passes through the nip therebetween. Inthe coil carrier means each coil is fastened on a lever by means of anexpandable chuck and has an adjustable braking system allowing for amore or less free unwinding or unreeling of the strip material inaccordance with the feed and unwinding means. The guide means in aplaten press are arranged so as to be able to guide the strip about theupper beam of the press along a generally C-shaped path through theoperating station and to the tensioning means. The tensioning meanscomprises at least one driven roller operating continuously at aperipheral speed higher than the unwinding and feed speed. A secondpressure roller may be provided on an opposite side of the strip toallow adjustment of the pressure against the strip material and henceallow adjustability of the tension in the strip. A further strip take-upmeans may be provided to remove the used strip.

It may thus be seen that the tensioning means of the foremost rolleroperating at a higher speed than the material is being fed will providea constant tension in the strip of material through the press regardlessof the rate or length of feed of the material from the coils. Thisconstant tension also serves to keep the strip material firmly in placeand allow accurate positioning of the material. The tensioning means maytake the form of a pair of rollers capable of handling a plurality ofgenerally parallel strips or it may include a series of tensioning meansfor each individual strip passing through the machine.

The unwinding and feed means or what may be referred to as the feedcontrol means comprises several feed rollers, each of the feed rollersbeing driven by one or more chain wheels through selective connection ofthe chain wheels with the feed rollers. This selective connection may beaccomplished through electromagnetic clutches. A plurality of chainwheels, each mechanically operable to rotate a predetermined distance inaccordance with a desired feed length, are loosely mounted on the feedroller, or on a shaft connected to the feed roller, so that by operationof an electromagnetic clutch they may be selectively engaged with theshaft to the exclusion of the other chain wheels and rotate the shaft sothat a predetermined length of strip will be pulled by the constanttension on the strip to the working station. The electromagneticclutches may be put in operation independently of each other in anyorder as by means of a programmed electronic computer. With a number ofchain wheels connected with each feed roller it may be seen that aplurality of different lengths may be provided for each feed roller. Inthis manner the strip material may be fed into the operating station ina manner and rate to maximize the use of the strip material surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T HE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features andadvantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may beeffected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novelconcepts of the disclosure in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a longitudinal cross sectionthrough a platen press equipped with a device according to theinvention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the mechanical means forcontrolling the feed length of the feed rollers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The platen press schematicallyshown in cross section in FIG. 1 comprises a fixed girder 1 havingdetachably connected on its lower side a printing or embossing plate ordie 2. A lower beam or girder 3 carries a lower platen plate or die 4 onits upper surface and reciprocates in the direction of the arrow 3a tobring the platen 4 into a position against the upper platen 2. It isunderstood that the platens 2 and 4 may bear corresponding counterpartsof the images or designs to be imprinted or embossed on the work piecescoming therebetween.

A pair of endless chains 5, one on either side of the beam 1 andpositioned in generally parallel relationship, are each guided anddriven in the schematically illustrated path by chain wheels such asshown at 8 and 9. Extending between the spaced, generally parallelchains 5, are a plurality of transverse gripper bars shown at 6, 6a forexample, which serve to transport a plurality of sheets 7 of cardboard,paper, plastic or the like from a sheet feed station to an operatingstation between the platens 2 and 4. Normally, about seven gripper barsare spaced along and between the chains 5. The movement of the chains isintermittent and may be in the direction as indicated by the arrow A.While the feed means for the sheets 7 is not shown this will beunderstood by those skilled in the art without further elaboration.

In the platen press arrangement shown in FIG. 1 it is contemplated thatsheet material 7 will be conveyed from a suitable supply means not shownby the gripper bars 6, Ga to a working station where they will bepressed by the reciprocating beam 3 between the plat ens 2 and 4. Where,for example, the sheet material 7 is to be embossed at various points onits surface, it may be desired to deposit a metallic foil in such placeson the sheet 7. It is therefore necessary to convey metallic foil tosuch places. According to the invention herein this metallic foil iscarried between the platens 2 and 4 on a continuous strip B1 and B2 inpressure releasable engagement therewith. Thus, upon contact of thesheet 7 with the foil surface of the strip B1, B2 the foil will bedeposited on the sheet 7. Since in most cases the entire strip B1, B2 iscovered with foil, it is important to utilize as much of the foilcovered surface as is possible to keep the waste to a minimum. Accordingto my invention the foil bearing strip material is kept to a width justslightly greater than the embossed image and passed through theOperating station in the areas where the embossment is to occur. Usuallythe sheet 7 will comprise a plurality of repetitious designs in whichcase a plurality of embossments may be located along the length of therelatively narrow foil bearing strip. In many cases movement of thestrip material B1, B2 the full length of the sheet 7 would leave largeareas of the foil bearing strip unused. In such cases I have found itpossible to utilize this otherwise wasted material by closelycontrolling the movement of the foil bearing strip material so that itwill move only so far as is necessary to provide full foil surface inthe next area to be embossed. In addition, the strip of material is heldin firm engagement with the platen 2 so that perfect results areobtained for both flat and embossing work. The advantageous results areobtained by my mechanism as set forth hereinbelow in greater detail.

As shown in FIG. 1 coils 10, 10a of strip material B1, B2 are eachrotatably mounted on a lever means 11, 1 la which lever means in turnare mounted on horizontal bars 12, 12:: extending parallel to the axesof the coils 10, 10a. The lever means 11, 11a are transverselydisplacable along the length of the horizontal bars 12, 12a respectivelyand may be stopped and held in a desired position by a set screw 13, 13arespectively. The bars 12, 12a may have their ends anchored on sidepanels of the press not shown and may also be mounted for controlledrotation. While it is contemplated that one, two or more coil carriermeans and feed control means may be provided it will be understood thatthe construction of each will be similar and accordingly the details ofconstruction and operation will be explained only with regard to one ofthe coil carrier means except insofar as they cooperate together.

The coil of strip material 10 is fastened on its lever 11 by means of anexpansible chuck 14. The chuck 14 has an adjustable braking system whichallows for a more or less free unwinding or unreeling of the stripmaterial B1. Since such chucks are known in the prior art a furtherdetailed description is unnecessary. It will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that where the width of the strip B1 is considerablyless than the width of the platen 2 that a plurality of coil-carrierlevers 11, may be mounted on each of the bars 12, 12a. it is alsoobvious that the device may comprise only one bar 12 or a greater numberof bars such as four.

From the coil carrier means l2, l3 and 14 the strip material unwindsfrom the coil 10 and passes into a feed control means which controls thefeed of strip material Bl by intermittently unrolling predetermined feedlengths. The feed control means, which may also be termed a feed andunwinding means, includes a feed roller 15 having a pressure roller 16bearing thereagainst with a pressure determined by, a pressure adjustingmeans 17 through 21. As shown, the strip material Bl passes over aportion of the circumference of the feed roller 15 and is heldthereagainst by pressure roller 16 to assure that the length of strip B1will be accurately fed. The force with which the pressure roller 16forces the strip Bl against the feed roller 15 is adjustable by a spring17. The spring 17 may be compressed more or less by an adjustment screw18. The member 19 carrying the pressure roller 16 is transverselyadjustable on a bar 20 in relation to the position of the coil 10 alongthe bar 12. A locking screw 21 allows the member 19 to be secured inposition along the bar 20. A plurality of feed rollers such as 15 willbe present depending upon the number of strips of material being fed tothe operating station. In all cases there will be at least as many feedcontrol devices as there are strips of material. For conveying widestrips of material it is preferably to use several pressure rollers 16per band. A second feed roller 15a with a pressure roller 16a and atransversely displacable support member 19a is shown for the strip B2which originates from the coil 10a.

From the feed roller 1, the strip B1 is subsequently guided about theupper beam 1 in a direction of displacement opposite the direction ofdisplacement of the sheets 7 by means of guide returns 22, 23, 24, 25,26, 27 and 28. One or more of the strips, as for example, the strips BRand B2 may pass in side-by-side, generally parallel relationship overthe guides. All or certain ones of the guides 22-28 may be provided witha system creating an air cushion between the guide and the strips ofmaterial, B1, B2. The guides 23, 24 are set so that the strip ofmaterial B1, B2 may be accurately positioned with respect to the platen2 and the work station or between the platens 2 and 4.

After passing in a generally C-shaped configuration about the upper beam1, the strip material B1 is then picked up by a tensioning meansgenerally indicated at 29 which includes a tension roller 30 operatingcontinuously in the direction of the arrow C at a peripheral speedsubstantially higher than the feed speed of the strip material Bl. Atleast one pressure roller 31 urges the strip B1 against the tensionroller 30. The pressure in the nip between the rollers 30 and 31 may beadjusted by a system identical to the one used to urge the strip B1against the feed roller 15. That is, the pressure roller 31 may berotatably mounted in a support member 34a which support member in turnis pivotally attached to a supporting member 34. A spring 32 mountedbetween the supporting member 34 and the pivotal portion 34a may haveits tension adjusted by an adjustment screw 33. The support member 34 inturn is slidably mounted along a bar 35 and can be fixed in any desiredposition along the bar by means of a locking screw 36. Where the stripB1 is wide, a plurality of pressure pulleys 31 may be used.

The fact that the tension roller 30 is operated continuously at a speedsubstantially higher than the feed speed of the strip B1 from the coiland through the feed control roller assures a constant tension of thestrip along its path between the feed control roller 15 and the tensionroller 30, particularly in the area of the path which is between theplatens 2 and 4. This tension is adjustable by changing the force of thepressure pulley 31 upon the tension roller 30 to thereby change thefriction force between the strip B1 and the tension roller 31. It goeswithout saying that there may be as many or more pressure rollers 31 asthere are strips. Also there may be several tension rollers.

From the tension roller 30, the strip B1 may be extracted continuouslyfrom the press by a system of two rotary brushes 37, 38, for example. Itwould also be possible to r'ewind the used strip B1 about a windingshaft 39 mounted in sequence after the tension roller 30. My inventionalso contemplates that there could be several winding shafts rotatingsubstantially faster but in synchronous with the feed roller 15. Thewinding shaft must then be equipped with a system permitting the slidingof the used strip coil to avoid breaking of the strip.

From the foregoing it may be seen that the strips B1, B2 are keptcontinuously under tension by the tensioning means 29 and that thestrips move only when the feed control means permit. The regulation ofthe feed control means as to the length of feed and the sequence of feedmay be effected as shown in FIG. 2 by a mechanical means. In this systema cam 41) rotating in a direction indicated by the arrow D contacts aplurality of levers 41 through 45 pivoted about a common axis 140 andmechanically oscillates them. The cam 41) is driven by a suitabledriving force of the press and may be synchronized with the pressoperation. A plurality of lengths of chain 46 50 respectively, aresuitably fastened along the levers 41 45 by blocking members 41a 45arespectively. The opposite ends of the chains 46 through 50 engage chainwheels 51 through 55 respectively. The chain wheels 51 55 are mountedloosely on shafts 115, 115a connected to the feed rollers 15, 15arespectively. Where required the chains 46 through 50 may pass over ashaft 56 carrying chain guide wheels 57 through 61. An electromagneticclutch 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66 is suitably connected to each of the chainwheels 51 through 55 and, when not activated,turns loosely on the shafts115 and 115a. When energized the magnetic clutch engages its respectiveshaft 115 or 115a and causes the shaft to rotate therewith therebymoving the feed rolls 15, 15a. The electromagnetic clutches may be putin operation independently of each other in any order by means of aprogrammed electronic computer for example.

In operation the rotating cam 40 causes the levers 41 through 45 tooscillate up and down about the axis of the shaft 140 in a regularpredetermined order, thereby causing the levers to draw in therespective chains and rotate the respective chain wheels 51 through 55 adistance dependent upon the point of attachment of the chain to thelever and the diameter of the chain wheel. Movement of the chain gears51 through 55 will occur on each cycle, however, this movement will notbe transmitted to the shafts l 15 or a unless the electromagneticclutches 62, 63, 64, 65 or 66 are energized. With this arrangement itmay be seen that each feed roller 15, 15a may be operated by one of aplurality of chain gears mounted loosely on the shafts 115, 115arespectively by means of the independent transmission of the chain gearmovement to the shaft with the aid of the electromagnetic clutch. Thechains 46 to 50 connected to the levers 41 to 45 by the blocking members41a to 45a, respectively, are trained about the sprockets 52 to 55,respectively, and may depend from their respective sprockets and bereturned by gravity when the respective magnetic clutches are disengagedand the sprockets are freely rotatable on their shafts 115 and 115a.With the system shown it is possible to unwind the strip Bl by means offeed control roller 15 at two preset predetermined feed lengths and tounwind the strip B2 through feed control roller 15a with three differentpreset feed lengths. It is of course possible to add further chain gearsto each shaft and thereby increase the number of different feed lengths.The chain wheels receive their movement for example from the chainsbeing moved a certain lineal distance. This distance may be differentand individually adjustable for each chain wheel. The coupling of one oranother of the chain wheels will produce a different rotation of thefeed roller. The intermittent unreeling of these strips thus is causedby an oscillating mechanical system on which the desired feed lengthsare directly transmitted. The electromechanical clutches may be put inoperation independently of each other in any order, by means of aprogrammed electronic computer.

From the foregoing disclosure it may be seen that I have invented anefficient strip feed mechanism for a platen press wherein a strip ofmaterial may be quickly and efficiently passed through an operatingstation to allow delivery of perfect results both for flat work and forembossing work and to assure a complete utilization of the stripmaterial.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in theart, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope ofthe patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably andproperly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an embossing and laminating platen press, opposed lower and upperplatens movable toward each other to produce laminating and embossingoperations, endless conveyor means having gripper means spacedtherealong gripping and advancing sheets of material to said lowerplaten, at least one elongated strip of metallic material, a reel forsaid material at one end of said platens, means guiding the materialalong the underside of the upper platen and top of the sheet of materialadvanced thereto by said conveyor means, said guide means including afeed roll and a pressure roll establishing a pressure nip for themetallic material, means intermittently driving said feed roll anddrawing the material from said reel in predetermined lengths, meansguiding the sheet of material from said platen including a series ofguide rolls, and a tension roll and a pressure roll maintaining thepressure nip for the sheet of material, said tension roll being drivenat a higher rate of speed than said feed roll to maintain the strip ofmaterial under predetermined tension and draw the material from saidplaten for coiling or further use.

2. The press of claim 1, wherein the pressure rolls are spring-biasedand means are provided for adjusting the pressure of said rolls againstsaid feed rolls and tension rolls respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide means guiding the stripof material to said tension roll guides the material about said platenand said tension roll is on the same side of said platen as said feedroll.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reel, feed roll and tensionroll are adjustable in a direction transversely of the length of thestrip of material being conveyed, to accommodate the training of morethan one strip of material along said upper platen in side-by-siderelation with respect to each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, including at least two reels mounted foradjustable movement laterally of the platen to accommodate the trainingof metallic material from said reels in side-by-side relation withrespect to each other and individual feed rolls and pressure rolls foreach strip of material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, including independent drive means for eachfeed roll and a magnetic clutch for each feed roll effecting a selectivedrive to each feed roll.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, including cooperating pressure rolls havinga nip therebetween and brush-like surfaces drawing the material fromsaid tensioning roll and allowing a predetermined amount of slippage ofthe rolls over the surface of the strip material.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means driving the feed rollcomprise a rotatably driven cam, a series of levers oscillatably movedup and down by said cam and flexible drive connections from said leversto said rolls including sprocket wheels coaxial with the axes of saidrolls and clutch means connecting said sprocket members in drivingengagement with said rolls.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the drive to said feed rolls isvaried by varying the drive connection of said flexible drive members tosaid oscillating levers and thereby varying the length of stroke of saidflexible drive members.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, including individual shafts for said feedrolls, sprockets on said shafts in side-by-side relation with respect toeach other and magnetic connecting selectively onnecting said sprocketsto said shafts to effect the drive to said feed roll at preselectedspeeds and feed lengths.

=l i =l= it

1. In an embossing and laminating platen press, opposed lower and upperplatens movable toward each other to produce laminating and embossingoperations, endless conveyor means having gripper means spacedtherealong gripping and advancing sheets of material to said lowerplaten, at least one elongated strip of metallic material, a reel forsaid material at one end of said platens, means guiding the materialalong the underside of the upper platen and top of the sheet of materialadvanced thereto by said conveyor means, said guide means including afeed roll and a pressure roll establishing a pressure nip for themetallic material, means intermittently driving said feed roll anddrawing the material from said reel in predetermined lengths, meansguiding the sheet of material from said platen including a series ofguide rolls, and a tension roll and a pressure roll maintaining thepressure nip for the sheet of material, said tension roll being drivenat a higher rate of speed than said feed roll to maintain the strip ofmaterial under predetermined tension and draw the material from saidplaten for coiling or further use.
 2. The press of claim 1, wherein thepressure rolls are spring-biased and means are provided for adjustingthe pressure of said rolls against said feed rolls and tension rollsrespectively.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide meansguiding the strip of material to said tension roll guides the materialabout said platen and said tension roll is on the same side of saidplaten as said feed roll.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reel,feed roll and tension roll are adjustable in a direction transversely ofthe length of the strip of material being conveyed, to accommodate thetraining of more than one strip of material along said upper platen inside-by-side relation with respect to each other.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 3, including at least two reels mounted for adjustable movementlaterally of the platen to accommodate the training of metallic materialfrom said reels in side-by-side relation with respect to each other andindividual feed rolls and pressure rolls for each strip of material. 6.The apparatus of claim 5, including independent drive means for eachfeed roll and a magnetic clutch for each feed roll effecting a selectivedrive to each feed roll.
 7. The apparatus of claim 4, includingcooperating pressure rolls having a nip therebetween and brush-likesurfaces drawing the material from said tensioning roll and allowing apredetermined amount of slippage of the rolls over the surface of thestrip material.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means drivingthe feed roll comprise a rotatably driven cam, a series of leversoscillatably moved up and down by said cam and flexible driveconnections from said levers to said rolls including sprocket wheelscoaxial with the axes of said rolls and clutch means connecting saidsprocket members in driving engagement with said rolls.
 9. The apparatusof claim 8, wherein the drive to said feed rolls is varied by varyingthe drive connection of said flexible drive members to said oscillatinglevers and thereby varying the length of stroke of said flexible drivemembers.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, including individual shafts forsaid feed rolls, sprockets on said shafts in side-by-side relation withrespect to each other and magnetic connecting selectively onnecting saidsprockets to said shafts to effect the drive to said feed roll atpreselected speeds and feed lengths.